1.
Truth in God:
(1) Truth is presented in Scripture as a chief element in the
nature of God (Ps 31:5; Isa 65:16).
(2)
But this quality is never given as an abstract teaching, but only
as qualifying God in His relations and activities. So it is a
guaranty of constancy (Dt 32:4; Ps 100:5; 146:6; Jas 1:17); especially
a ground of confidence in His promises (Ex 34:6; Ps 91:4; 146:6);
of right dealing with people without reference to any explicit
pledges (Ps 85:11; 89:14); a basis of security in the correctness
of His teachings (Neh 9:13; Ps 119:142; Isa 25:1); of assurance
within His covenant relations (Ps 89:5; Isa 55:3).
(3)
God’s truth is especially noteworthy as a guaranty of merciful
consideration of people. This is an important element in theology
of the Old Testament, as it is a point guarded also in the New
Testament (Ps 25:10; 31:5; 61:7; 85:10; 98:3; Jn 3:16; Rom 3:23-26).
(4)
Equally is the truth of God an assurance to people of righteous
judgement in condemnation of sin and sinners (1 Sam 15:29; Ps
96:13; Rom 2:2, 8). In general the truth of God stands for the
consistency of His nature and guarantees His full response in
all the relations of a universe of which He is the Maker, Preserver,
and End.
2.
Truth in Humanity:
As related to God in origin and obligation, humanity is bound
morally to see and respond to all the demands of his relations
to God and to the order in which he lives under God.
(1)
Truthfulness in speech, and also in the complete response of his
nature to the demand upon it, is urged as a quality to be found
in humanity and is commended where found, as its lack is condemned.
It is essential to true personhood. Here, as in the case of truth
in God, truth is regarded as revealed in social relations and
responsibilities. Truth is not merely in utterance, nor is it
only response to a specific command or word, but lies in the response
of the will and life to the essential obligations of one’s
being (Ps 15:2; 119:30; Prov 12:19; 23:23; Isa 59:4, 14, 15; Jer
7:28; 9:3; Hos 4:1; Rom 1:18, 25; Eph 4:15; 2 Thess 2:10, 12).
(2)
Truth in Humanity is in response to truth in God, and is to be
acquired on the basis of a gift from God. This gift comes by way
of teaching and also by way of the working of the Divine Spirit
in the life of humanity. Highest truth in correspondence to ideal
is possible only by the working of “the God of truth”
in the spirit of the humanity. humanity’s freedom to realize
his being is dependent upon his receptive attitude toward the
Son of God. Hence salvation in its fullest idea is stated in terms
of truth (Jn 11:3 ff; Phil 3:10 ff). See in general, Ps 51:6;
Isa 25:1; Jn 3:21; 8:32; 16:13; 17:19; 18:37; Eph 4:21, 24; 5:9;
Heb 10:26; 1 Jn 2:27.
3.
Truth in Religion:
The modern study of religion on an evolutionary hypothesis and
the comparative study of religions have contributed to an extensive
questioning whether there is any absolute truth in religion, or
at least any standards by which truth in religion may be known.
Isa 43 and 44 and Paul in Acts 17 and Gal 3 accord with modern
findings that there is an element of truth in religions generally,
and that God’s faithfulness pledges Him to bring the light
of fuller truth to all people. This He does through the religion
and the testimony of them to whom He has already come with this
fuller light. This light is contained in the revealed word of
the Old Testament prophets and of the New Testament witnesses
to Jesus. In a definite way the Scriptures preserve these standards
of religious truth. But always the attitude of the individual,
as also of the group, determines the measure of apprehension of
the truth and the certainty with which it is held. It is always
important to keep in mind that truth in religion is not primarily
an intellectualistic affair, to be cognized, but is essentially
a voluntaristic experience and a duty to be done for the glory
of God in the realization of the complete truth of God. Jesus
Christ as the truth of God becomes the standard and test for truth
in the religion of people. And this not in any objective and formal
way of a series of propositions, to be accepted and contended
for, but in the subjective way of experience, in a series of ideals
to be realized and propagated. If anyone wishes to do God’s
will, he shall be able to decide the truth of religious teaching,
and the Son who is true will give the freedom of truth (Jn 7:17;
8:32).
